Consumer awareness of private label products is on the rise and most consumers make their shopping lists without specifying particular national brands, both positive developments for PL manufacturers and retailers. These findings come from research recently done for the Private Label Manufacturers' Association (PLMA) by Buxton Research.

Approximately 51.4 percent of 1,170 consumers surveyed online by Buxton say they are more aware of private label now than they were a year ago, Bill Bradshaw, vice president of Fort Worth, Texas-based Buxton, told attendees at PLMA's annual meeting in Phoenix March 25.

When making their shopping lists, 62 percent of respondents say they do not specific brands to buy. That number rises to 77 percent when it comes to shopping in drug stores, Bradshaw recounted.

When it comes to technology, only 22.1 percent say they use electronic devices like mobile phones while shopping. Of that tech-savvy group, 62.4 percent are under 40 years old, a clear sign of a tech divide among grocery shoppers, Bradshaw noted. Asked if they thought tech devices will be part of their shopping five years from now, 74.9 percent say they will be using mobile devices more than they do now, so even older shoppers apparently know change is coming in how they shop, the study found.

In another indication that shopping is low-tech when it comes to food, the survey found 89 percent of respondents still make their shopping lists on paper. That presents a marketing opportunity for stores to give shoppers grocery list pads with ads and coupons on them to encourage shopping, Bradshaw advised.

Once they're in stores shopping, 49.7 percent of respondents say they buy private label if a brand name product they were searching for is out of stock. While they may not write down brand names on their list, the survey found that 56 percent of shoppers do have national brand names in mind as they are shopping, Bradshaw said.

The final research report is still be compiled and so has yet to be released, Bradshaw said.